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TEXT: Ephesians 2:1-10
TOPIC: What is a Christian?
Bobby Earls
Preached at Little Memorial Baptist, Gaffney, SC May 7, 1989
Preached at FBC, Icard, NC June 10, 1990, March 8, 1992, June 6, 1993, Feb. 8, 1998
This morning’s message asks a question.
What is a Christian?
I really believe there is much confusion over what a real Christian is.
Even though we live in the Bible belt and as some have said, North Carolina is the belt buckle.
There is still a great misunderstanding as to what or who Christians are.
In fact, if you were to take a survey of ten citizens selected at random, I’m convinced you’d come up with just about as many different answers.
How would you answer that question?
What is a Christian?
Let me begin this morning by stating some things a Christian is not.
1.
A Christian is not someone who is morally upright.
By morally upright I mean a good person.
A person with deeply held moral values about what is right and wrong.
And they live their lives accordingly.
Don’t get me wrong.
I do believe that a Christian certainly should be a person who has high morals and a Christian should be a good person.
But simply living a good life, the best you can, does not make you a Christian.
(The Bible is full of persons who lived good lives.
Persons who believed in God.
Examples of Nicodemus and the rich young ruler.)
2. A Christian is not someone who is helpful, or kind, or nice, or friendly, etc.
Again, a Christian ought to be helpful.
A Christian ought to be kind, and nice and friendly.
But you don’t have to be a Christian to be helpful, or kind, or friendly.
A Hindu can be kind.
Some of the nicest people I know are Mormons, but they’re not Christians, (I don’t care what Jimmy Carter says).
3. A Christian is not someone who is a church member.
Please hear me now.
I believe a Christian ought to be a member of the church, but being a church member doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than living in a garage makes you a car.
Too many people equate being a church member with being a Christian.
They think because they have joined the church, or because they have been raised in the church
they are Christians.
Some people have been confirmed, or because they successfully completed catechism, that they must be a Christian.
Not so!
4. A Christian is not someone who has been raised in a Christian home.
Being a Christian is not cultural or hereditary.
(I could not believe my ears as a college student when I heard my Chemistry professor say he was a Christian because he lived in a Christian nation and he grew up in a Christian home).
It is a wonderful thing to grow up in a Christian home where mom and dad are Christians, but it will not make you a Christian.
You can’t get to heaven clinging to your parents’ coattails.
5.
A Christian is not someone who has been baptized.
The bible teaches that every Christian ought to be baptized.
For a Christian not to be baptized is disobedience.
Yet baptism does not make you a Christian.
I like the way the old country preacher said it.
“You can be baptized so many times that you know every frog in the pond, but if you’re not a Christian before you go in, then you go in a dry sinner and come out a wet sinner.”
6.
A Christian is not someone who has walked an aisle of the church, prayed a prayer, shook the preacher’s hand and sat down.
Now that we know what a Christian is not, let’s discover what a Christian really is.
I.
A CHRISTIAN IS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN SAVED, v. 8
“for by grace are ye saved”
A. Saved from Sin, verse 1
B. Saved from Self, verse 2
C. Saved from Satan, verse 2 and John 10:10a “the thief comes not but to…”
D. Saved from the Second Death, verse 1 (Apollo 13 Moon Mission-RESCUED)
E. Saved by Something.
Saved by works, goodness, no, but God’s grace.
Grace is God giving us that which we don’t deserve.
What we deserve is death and hell.
But God in His love for us granted grace and salvation to us through His son Jesus Christ.
It’s not what we do, but what He has done that we are saved.
(Moody and the Mormon on a long train trip.
Moody said, “I’ve come to the conclusion that there are only two letters that separate your religion from mine.
“Do” and “Done.”
You believe
there is something you must do to secure your salvation whereas I believe Jesus Christ has already done everything that needs to be done for my salvation!)
II.
A CHRISTIAN IS SOMEONE WHO IS SURE
Can you imagine any of the New Testament Christians not having assurance of their salvation?
Peter, are you sure you’re a Christian?
Peter wouldn’t say, “I hope so.”
I’m doing my best.
I think I am.
Maybe I am.”
Oh no, Peter would say,
2 Peter 1:10
Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure
Or Paul, “Paul, can a person really know for sure they are saved, that they’re a Christian?
Would you expect to hear Paul say, “Well you know, I’ve thought about that for a long time.
I’ve concluded that no one can really know that for sure.”
On no.
We’d hear Paul say,
2 Timothy 1:12
I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
(KJV)
The Bible tells us we can know for sure. 1 John 5:13
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
(KJV)
How can you know?
Three evidences of your salvation:
1.
The External Assurance, 1 John 3:14
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.
2. The Internal Assurance, 1 John 4:13
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
(KJV)
3. The Eternal Assurance, 1 John 5:11-12
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
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